About this recipe
This Apple Fennel Salad with Simple Shallot Vinaigrette, Hazelnuts, and Blue Cheese perfectly balances crisp, sweet, and savory flavors. It is perfect for a light lunch or a side for your main course. I love to eat it with pasta dishes or pizzas. The combination of tart apples, crunchy fennel, rich blue cheese, and nutty hazelnuts gives a magic bite.
Fennel and apples pair beautifully in salads due to their complementary flavors and textures. Fennel’s subtle anise (licorice)flavor and crisp texture perfectly contrast with apples’ sweet-tart bite, particularly varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Together, they offer a satisfying crunch and a delightful mix of flavors, making them an ideal pairing for fresh, vibrant salads like this one.
Fennel is not only flavorful but also full of nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Apples are another great source of fiber and antioxidants, making this salad a delicious way to get your daily nutrients in.
Healthy and Fresh: This salad is packed with fresh, seasonal ingredients like crisp apples and fennel.
Simple Vinaigrette: The homemade shallot vinaigrette is very easy to make.
Texture Heaven: The hazelnuts give that perfect crunch that complements the blue cheese and the crisp veggies perfectly.
Perfect for Any Meal: Serve this apple and fennel salad as a side dish, or enjoy it on its own for a light and refreshing meal.
ingredients
- Apples, the best are Honey Crisp or Granny Smith.
- Fennel
- Hazelnuts, feel free to substitute with any other.
- Blue Cheese. I use vegan blue cheese. Use your favorite or substitute with feta or goat cheese.
- Shallot vinaigrette
How to make the fennel salad
To prepare the apple fennel salad, start by making the vinaigrette. Whisk together minced shallot, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thinly slice the apples and fennel, then toss them in a salad bowl. Toast the hazelnuts, chop them roughly, then add to the salad with crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, toss gently, and serve immediately.
Tips for using a mandoline
A mandoline slicer helps achieve thin, uniform slices of apple and fennel, which is key for texture and the only way my kids will eat raw fennel.
I love my mandoline, but I’ve learned the hard way to use a protective glove. Please, please, please use one when using a mandoline.
Apple Fennel Salad with Simple Shallot Vinaigrette, Hazelnuts, and Blue Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Salad bowl
- 1 Mandoline
Ingredients
- 2 apples Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, thinly sliced
- 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced ½ cup hazelnuts (lightly toasted)
- 3 oz blue cheese crumbled
For the Shallot Vinaigrette:
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the minced shallot, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the apples and fennel. Toss them together in a large salad bowl.
- Lightly toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Let them cool before roughly chopping.
- Add the toasted hazelnuts, crumbled blue cheese, and the apple fennel mixture to the bowl. Drizzle with the shallot vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Tengo una Certificación Profesional en la cocina vegana; en el mundo de la cocina basada en vegetales, frutas, granos, leguminosas… en comida limpia, orgánica y vegana.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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